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Mission Statement

As part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute’s mission is to “conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, preservation of sight, and the special health problems and requirements of the blind.”

Recursos

Glaucoma Glossary

Anterior chamberThe space in the front portion of the eye between the cornea and the iris. The space is filled with a clear fluid.

CataractA clouding of the lens. People with cataract see through a haze. Cataract surgery, in which the cloudy lens is replaced with a plastic lens, is usually safe and successful.

DiabetesDiabetes is a chronic disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal. Complications may lead to vision loss.

Dilated eye examAn eye examination where drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. The eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine the retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your closeup vision may remain blurred for several hours.

Eye care professionalAn optometrist or ophthalmologist.

GlaucomaA group of eye diseases in which the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises, leading to vision loss or even blindness.

Laser trabeculoplastyA surgical procedure that helps open up the drainage angle to allow more fluid to pass out of the eye.

Optic nerveLargest sensory nerve of the eye; carries impulses for sight from the retina to the brain.